not
Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English 5++LDOCE 5++not /nɒt $ nɑːt/ ●●● S1 W1 adverb 1 NOTused to make a word, statement, or question negative 不，没，不是〔用于把词语、陈述或问句等变为否定的意思〕 Most of the stores do not open until 10 am. 大多数商店要到上午10点才开始营业。 She’s not a very nice person. 她为人不太好。 You were wrong not to inform the police. 你没有通知警方是错误的。 ‘Can we go to the park?’ ‘No, not today, dear.’ “我们能去公园吗？”“不，今天不行，亲爱的。”not at all/not ... at all (=used to emphasize what you are saying) 根本不/一点也不…〔用于强调〕 The changes were not at all surprising. 那些变化根本不令人吃惊。 I do not like his attitude at all. 我一点也不喜欢他的态度。 → no1, n't2 NOTused in order to make a word or expression have the opposite meaning 不，不是〔用于使词语或说法表示相反的意思〕 Edinburgh isn’t far now. 爱丁堡现在不远了。 The food is not very good there. 那里的食物不太好吃。not a lot/much/many etc (=only a few, only a little etc) 不多，很少 Not much is known about the disease. 对该疾病的了解还不多。 Not many people have read the report. 没多少人读过这篇报道。 Most of the hotels are not that cheap (=they are fairly expensive). 大多数宾馆没有那么便宜。3 NOTused instead of a whole phrase to mean the opposite of what has been mentioned before it 〔用来代替前面提到的整个语句，表示与其相反的意思〕 No one knows if the story is true or not. 没人知道这事是真是假。 I hope to see you tomorrow, but if not, leave me a message. 我希望明天和你见面，不过如果不行的话，给我留个口信。 ‘Is Mark still sick?’ ‘I hope not.’ “马克还在生病吗？”“希望没有。” → so1(4)4 not only AND/ALSOin addition to being or doing something 不仅，不但not only ... (but) also ... Shakespeare was not only a writer but also an actor. 莎士比亚不仅是个作家，而且还是位演员。not only do/will/can etc Not only do the nurses want a pay increase, they want reduced hours as well. 护士们不仅要求提高工资，还要求缩短工作时间。5 not a/not one not any person or thing 没有一个 Not one of the students knew the answer. 没有一个学生知道答案。 There wasn’t a cloud in the sky. 天空万里无云。 Not a single person said thank you. 没有一个人说谢谢。6 not that ... used before a sentence or phrase to mean the opposite of what follows it, and to make the previous sentence seem less important 并不…〔用于表示前面的语句不太重要〕 Sarah has a new boyfriend – not that I care (=I do not care). 萨拉找了个新男友——我并不在乎。 Janice had lost some weight, not that it mattered (=it did not matter). 贾尼丝体重减轻了一些，不过那没什么。7 not at all British English spokenTHANK used to be polite when someone has thanked you or asked you to do something 别客气；没问题；一点也不介意8. not the sharpest tool in the box/shed (also not the brightest crayon in the box), not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree informal used to say that someone is not very intelligent or is not able to learn things quickly or easily – used humorously 〔某人〕并不是很聪明，学东西并不快〔幽默用法〕9 – not! spokenNOT used, especially by young people, to say that you really mean the opposite of what you have just said 才不是呢！〔尤为年轻人所用，表示与刚说的话相反的意思〕 → not half at half3(6), → not to say at say1(43)5 GRAMMAR 语法• Do not use another negative word (eg ‘no’, ‘nothing’, ‘nobody’, ‘never’) with not. Use any, anything, anybody, ever etc. not不应与其他否定词(如 no， nothing， nobody， never)连用，而应与any， anything， anybody， ever等连用They didn’t have any money (NOT 不说 didn’t have no money).他们一点钱也没有。I didn’t know anybody (NOT 不说 didn’t know nobody).我一个人都不认识。• When you use not with a to-infinitive, put it before the ‘to’. not和to的不定式连用，应放在to之前I try not to make errors (NOT 不说 try to not make errors).我尽量不出错。n GRAMMAR: Negatives• Don’t use another negative word such as ‘no’, ‘nothing’, or ‘nobody’ after not. Use any, anything, anybody etc. You say: They do not have any money.I didn’t know anybody. 我一个人都不认识。 ✗Don’t say: They do not have no money. | I didn’t know nobody.• Not goes before ‘to’ in an infinitive verb. You say: I try not to make mistakes. 我尽量不出错。 ✗Don’t say: I try to not make mistakes.
Examples from the Corpus
not• "Are you worried about your exams?'' "No, I'm not.''• I don't smoke.• It's not a computer -- it's a word processor.• It's not boring -- it's really interesting.• There was nothing, not even that hotel sitting room, to compare.• We're not going on holiday this year.• Is anyone not going to the party?• No service charge and tipping is not necessary.• Most of the stores do not open until 10 a.m.• Unlike nearly every microlight aircraft I've flown to date, the power plant up front was not out of the Rotax stable.• David's not stupid. He knows what's going on.• I am not surprised when he continues in an upward direction.• The speciality, not to be missed, is fresh fillet of haddock.• Despite various friends trying out the route and checking the text, the book is not up to date.• Let's hope it is not wasted.• This period of history is not well documented.• These came into force January 1989 but they are still not widely known.not very• We all know how bitterly cold it is now outside; it is not very cold here, of course.• The freezer's not very cold - is it broken?• Cultivation: This plant is not very demanding as to its growing medium, and therefore can even be grown in gravel.• Other kids were not very good either, and we all inadvertently inhaled the pool again and again.• The President was not very happy that the information had been leaked to the press.• This type of definition is not very helpful for an understanding of evaluation.• There's not very many buses.• I wouldn't recommend the fish - it's not very nice.• She did not very often tell this particular story.• I still go running, but not very often.• I had missed seven putts of less than four feet, and my ball-striking was not very precise, either.• I felt very guilty about it but this guilt was not very productive.or not• I don't know whether she does or not.• I stared, not knowing whether to believe him or not.• Nobody really cares if Morrissey is gay or not.• Whether or not a fourth Odyssey will materialize depends on factors beyond my control.• For instance, how is one to decide whether or not an individual makes undesirable choices when better options are available?• The reactions shown on the metabolic chart would proceed very slowly, or not at all, in the absence of enzymes.• Whether we like it or not, clothes make a statement about the person who is wearing them.• As schools get Internet access, they become responsible, like it or not, for keeping students off raunchy Web sites.Origin not (1300-1400) noughtnot adverb →5 GRAMMAR1 →n GRAMMAR2LDOCE OnlineChinese
negative question or word, to Corpus statement, make a used
not
not S1 W1 /nɒt $ nɑːt/
adverb
Most of the stores do not open until 10 am.
She’s not a very nice person.
You were wrong not to inform the police.
‘Can we go to the park?’ ‘No, not today, dear.’
not at all/not ... at all (=used to emphasize what you are saying)
The changes were not at all surprising.
I do not like his attitude at all. ⇨ no1, N’T
2. used in order to make a word or expression have the opposite meaning:
Edinburgh isn’t far now.
The food is not very good there.
not a lot/much/many etc (=only a few, only a little etc)
Not much is known about the disease.
Not many people have read the report.
Most of the hotels are not that cheap (=they are fairly expensive).
3. used instead of a whole phrase to mean the opposite of what has been mentioned before it:
No one knows if the story is true or not.
I hope to see you tomorrow, but if not, leave me a message.
‘Is Mark still sick?’ ‘I hope not.’ ⇨ so1(4)
4. not only in addition to being or doing something
not only ... (but) also ...
Shakespeare was not only a writer but also an actor.
not only do/will/can etc
Not only do the nurses want a pay increase, they want reduced hours as well.
5. not a/not one not any person or thing:
Not one of the students knew the answer.
There wasn’t a cloud in the sky.
Not a single person said thank you.
6. not that ... used before a sentence or phrase to mean the opposite of what follows it, and to make the previous sentence seem less important:
Sarah has a new boyfriend – not that I care (=I do not care).
Janice had lost some weight, not that it mattered (=it did not matter).
7. not at all especially British English spoken used to be polite when someone has thanked you or asked you to do something:
‘Would you mind helping me with my suitcase?’ ‘Not at all.’
8. not the sharpest tool in the box/shed (also not the brightest crayon in the box), not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree informal used to say that someone is not very intelligent or is not able to learn things quickly or easily – used humorously
9. –not! spoken used, especially by young people, to say that you really mean the opposite of what you have just said:
I really enjoy spending my day working here – not!
⇨ not half at half3(5), ⇨ not to say at say1(44)
GRAMMAR
Do not use another negative word (eg 'no', 'nothing', 'nobody', 'never') with not. Use any, anything, anybody, ever etc:
▪They didn’t have any money (NOT didn’t have no money).
▪I didn’t know anybody (NOT didn’t know nobody).
When you use not with a to-infinitive, put it before the 'to':
▪I try not to make errors (NOT try to not make errors).
not S1 W1 /nɒt $ nɑːt/
adverb Date: 1300-1400
Origin: nought
1. used to make a word, statement, or question negative:Origin: nought
not at all/not ... at all (=used to emphasize what you are saying)
2. used in order to make a word or expression have the opposite meaning:
not a lot/much/many etc (=only a few, only a little etc)
3. used instead of a whole phrase to mean the opposite of what has been mentioned before it:
4. not only in addition to being or doing something
not only ... (but) also ...
not only do/will/can etc
5. not a/not one not any person or thing:
6. not that ... used before a sentence or phrase to mean the opposite of what follows it, and to make the previous sentence seem less important:
7. not at all especially British English spoken used to be polite when someone has thanked you or asked you to do something:
8. not the sharpest tool in the box/shed (also not the brightest crayon in the box), not the brightest bulb on the Christmas tree informal used to say that someone is not very intelligent or is not able to learn things quickly or easily – used humorously
9. –not! spoken used, especially by young people, to say that you really mean the opposite of what you have just said:
⇨ not half at half3(5), ⇨ not to say at say1(44)
GRAMMAR
Do not use another negative word (eg 'no', 'nothing', 'nobody', 'never') with not. Use any, anything, anybody, ever etc:
▪
▪
When you use not with a to-infinitive, put it before the 'to':
▪
